Player Updates

Ramos (hamstring) said Thursday that he believes he'll be back in action near the middle of August, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.

Ramos will likely require a short rehab stint in the minors after suffering the hamstring injury before the All-Star break. Prior to Ramos being dealt to Philadelphia on Tuesday, the catcher resume hitting and was able to participate in some defensive drills, but it's unclear as to whether he's been cleared to run yet, which is an important step in his recovery.

Ramos (hamstring) was sent from Tampa Bay to Philadelphia on Tuesday for a player to be named later, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

Ramos represents a significant offensive upgrade over the Phillies' current starter, Jorge Alfaro, though Alfaro has been a better defender this season. The playing-time breakdown between the pair remains to be seen and will take a bit of time to sort out, as Ramos still has some recovery to go with his hamstring strain. Assuming Ramos has a regular role, the move is a clear upgrade for his fantasy value, as he'll now have a much more hitter-friendly home park.

Ramos (hamstring) completed catching drills at Tropicana Field on Thursday and is scheduled to catch a live bullpen session Saturday in Port Charlotte, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.

The recovering backstop will field throws from fellow rehabber Vidal Nuno (hamstring) in that session, which will represent an important step in the recovery of both players. If Ramos remains free of setbacks following the ramp-up in physical activity, he may be shuttled to a short-term rehab assignment as a final step before activation.

Ramos (hamstring) is slated to take some swings off a tee Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Ramos said his hamstring is continuing to improve, and it's a good sign that he's participating in some baseball activities. He's slated to catch live batting practice Saturday, and if all goes well, he'll embark on a rehab stint early next week. Ramos is optimist he can return from the disabled list in early August.

Ramos (hamstring) played catch on the field prior to Monday's game against the Yankees and said that he could return around the beginning of August, Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times reports.

Ramos added that he was feeling "a lot better" as he participated in his first bit of activity since suffering the injury before the All-Star break. It's expected that Ramos will begin increasing his activities in the coming days. Jesus Sucre continues to receive a majority of the starts behind the plate in his stead.